


Moving On

by BlueSeiryuu



Category: My Time At Portia (Video Game)
Genre: A scrapped fic I relaunched, Canon Compliant, Divorce, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Minor Spoilers, Post-Divorce, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:49:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21888442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueSeiryuu/pseuds/BlueSeiryuu
Summary: This was the fic I launched but bailed on, I've decided to re-launch it!She should have been happy, but after fighting the Rogue Knight, her world is flipped upside down. She turns to the only one she ever relied on besides her husband, maybe, just maybe, she'll learn that it's ok to be two idiots in love despite everything.Rating may change, as time goes on.
Relationships: Aadit/Builder (My Time At Portia), Arlo/Builder (My Time At Portia)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	1. Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> I went back to this and liked it more than I thought I would, so decided to relaunch it. I'll be updating this and my other fic once a fortnight (so this will be updated, the following the other one will be)
> 
> I've not done fanfics in a while and it's an exciting time!

He’d been rebandaging his wounds from the Rogue Knight in his room when the commotion began in the Corps HQ.

“I-I need-!” Whoever it was on the other side was clearly distressed.  
“Hey, hey what happened?” Sam was trying to soothe. “Remmy, get Arlo!” The knocking on his door came just after he’d finished wrapping up the particularly nasty slash across his abdomen - that sword gave off such a strange energy that it felt like he’d get an electric shock every time he slathered it with salve.   
“Arlo, I uh-think we could use your help.” Remington offered.  
“Why?”  
“It’s Ayla.” He sprang up from the bed so fast it hurt, she still couldn't be upset about him blocking her from the strike could she?

“Ssh ssh it’s ok.” Sam offered to the sobbing mess of a young girl in her arms. “Deep breaths ok? Take as long as you need, Ack is already making us some tea.”  
“Ayla, what’s wrong?” Her pale blue eyes were filled with so much pain he wished he could block whatever had caused this as well.  
“He’s gone.” She whimpered.  
“Who?”  
“Aadit.”  
“What?”

-x-x-

Arlo had always had a soft spot for the builder, she was only nineteen when she moved to town, barely skilled and he’d figured she wouldn’t last her first season in Portia with her wonderfully idealised view of the world and optimism. He’d took a risk on her with the bridge project and it had paid off, in retrospect, he was glad she’d stuck it out.

Much like Nora, he’d adopted her into his world under the mantra of ‘little sister’ - they shared a lot in common - a less than useful father and a deep sense of justice and a common passion for Ruin Diving. It helped that his sister, had she reached adulthood, would have been the same age as Ayla. 

She didn’t have many friends and the Corps seemed to fulfil the minimal social need she did have, when she was cold and lonely in the winter, they would welcome her with open arms and he’d lost track of how many times the girl had fallen asleep across one of the couches on top of one of the blueprints she’d been working on.

It was him she had come to when she’d mentioned receiving a heart knot from Aadit, which made sense, he’d asked for the same advice when it came to Nora after all. He’d encouraged her to follow her heart and he watched as love blossomed between them and was honoured to have walked her down the aisle where her deadbeat father should have been.

A year ago, he’d have pretended he wasn’t envious, but by the time he walked her down the aisle, he’d reasoned that they were on different paths and the kind and gentle Aadit would love her for eternity. Arlo had still gone to Ayla every time she needed his help, he’d still welcomed her as a friend to the HQ and they still met for regular drinks and she glowed. 

Everything had seemed perfect for her. He was proud. Heck, when he’d needed to take a trip to Barnarock to take (and fail) the Pigs exam again, he’d even made a special trip to visit her aunt and drop off a wedding photo for her.

-x-x-

Yet here she was, sobbing into Sam’s chest with deep, guttural sobs that made his heart break.   
“Ayla, what’s happened?” He asked softly as she finally stopped and wiped her face on her sleeve.  
“I’ll uh...go get some tissues.” Sam offered, gesturing for Remington to head out of the way with her.  
“I woke up to this.” She handed him a crumpled letter.

He read the letter silently, he’d gone? For reasons he couldn’t disclose? Arlo’s heart hurt, he’d heard a rumour that someone in town might have been the Rogue Knight, but he had written it off as baseless fear-mongering. 

“Oh god, Ayla I’m so, so sorry.” He let out an oof as she began to cry into his shoulder, her arms hanging limply around him. “It’s ok, it’s ok, we’ll find him I promise.”  
“Why bother?” She sniffed.  
“What do you mean? Is there something else?”  
“Here.” An official letter from the church, still sealed with wax and addressed to Ayla using her forename of Wentworth. “I got this too, what do you think it is? Open it if you want.”  
“Let’s get you some tea first, yeah?” She nodded into his shoulder.

She drank quietly huddled up on herself as the Corps spoke animatedly, Sam especially.  
“That piece of-”  
“Sam.” Arlo scolded.  
“No Arlo, he broke her heart I’m gonna rip him a new smile I swear!”  
“Thanks Sam.” She whimpered.  
“Have you....been to the Tree Farm?” Remington offered. She shook her head.  
“I tried, I tried before I came up here but-”  
“It’s ok, no need to cry.” Remington offered as he refilled her mug. “We’ll do a full investigation, as we have to when citizens leave without warning.”  
“I appreciate it.” Her voice was broken and barely above a whisper.  
“Ayla, did you want me to open this?” Arlo offered, kneeling before her with the sealed letter from the church in his hand. “I don’t want to see you cry anymore.”  
“Please, I think I know what it is, I’ve already cried so much I just…”

“Shit.” He cursed. “Fuck.” 

He’d spend the rest of the night trying his best to comfort her, her howling and sobbing making his bones ache. When she finally cried herself to sleep, he didn’t move her, instead, he looked to the two documents on the table.

A goodbye letter and a signed divorce.

As if she needed another man in her life abandoning her.


	2. Chapter 2

She thought she wouldn’t sleep, but when Sam had offered to let her sleep in her house rather than go home alone, she settled fairly fast.

“Captain?” Arlo had been quiet since she left the HQ.  
“Do you think the rumours around town might have been true?” Arlo offered.  
“About the knight?” Remington sighed. “Honestly, he was the last person I’d have considered, but on saying that, I wouldn’t consider him the type to abandon his wife either.”   
“I’m stepping out.”   
“Are you sure? You’re supposed to still be healing up.”   
“Keep an eye on her.” Arlo instructed.

Each step Spacer took pulled the wound on Arlo’s stomach but he persevered as the horse walked slowly through the town. He wondered if he and his beloved stallion looked like a ghost patrolling Portia. The fall was in full swing, cold air biting against his flesh. He was reminded of the fact Ayla would turn 22 soon - and she was already a divorcee. He looked up to the church at the top of the hill, he hoped that the Church wouldn’t be as harsh towards her as he’d seen them be in other alliance cities. He gave Spacer’s reigns a sharp tug urging the horse down the path towards the workshop.

The house practically glowed in the dim light, he did a quiet circle of the fence on the perimeter of the property, his horse’s footfalls disturbed the dog inside. Had she fed Scraps or Pinky or her horse, Mercury? She wouldn’t mind if he stopped by, would she? Spacer let out an indignant noise as he tied the horse’s reigns to the free slot in the stable. Mercury whinnied at the Captain’s affection, the dapple grey mare delighting as he filled her feed with the apples in the nearby container.

“Hey, hope this is ok.” He filled her water from the nearby hose Ayla would use to quickly wash down her furnaces if she needed to.

He eased his way into the door, using his foot to nudge Scraps back inside. Pinky had been asleep in the corner but sprung to life at the presence of the Captain. The house had changed since he last came to visit - before her wedding if he recalled - in the corner were two couches and a coffee table, with a stack of blueprints and commission requests neatly folded underneath a topaz paperweight. The kitchen had been tucked off in the big room to the left, the family bathroom door under the stairs. Tucked by the stairs were Pinky and Scraps’ sleeping quarters, he stopped short of the photographs on her wall, all the people she had snapped photos with around town.

At the centre was her and Aadit, to the right, her and Arlo, then there was a photo of all three of the corps together with her, taken at the horse races not long after she got Mercury - there were photos of the research team, of Granny Sophie and Emily (who always fed her when she first moved to town), photos of tea parties with Ginger and Gust.

  
Each photo had her beaming in, her wedding photo had him, Aadit and Ayla together, the moment he’d finished walking her to the altar. He moved his hand away from the wall, a sad smile as he glanced over the photo of her and her aunt beneath her builder’s license...she’d made this place a real home.

“Hey pup, where’s your food?” He knelt down to the dog who licked at his face excitedly. “Easy there, ow. Go on, show me.” The dog bounced off his knee and padded to the kitchen scratching excitedly at a door. Filled with pouches clearly labelled with the animal’s names he thanked the pup before going across to their bowls, watching as both animals ate greedily whilst he filled their water dishes.

“You guys be good.” He called behind him as he pulled the door shut. His wound stung even worse as he climbed back atop Spacer, urging him to a gentle trot around the fields. He had a plan of where to start a search for Aadit, but it would have to wait until the morning. He’d check out the tree farm and check where the divorce was filed from, if Lee had stamped it, he might have got Aadit to admit where he was going. He’d have to ask Ayla and Dawa when they last saw him - hadn’t Ayla spent the night at the clinic after the Rogue Knight battle just like Arlo had? That would give Aadit the chance to get further away - with the DeeDees and bus transport a letter could be back at Portia within a few hours rather than a day.

He tapped the horse with his stirrups and Spacer immediately picked up the pace. It hurt, more so than any injury he recalled receiving before but he didn’t regret his choice. He’d seen the sword that the knight had dropped, he’d told Ayla to pull it out the concrete - what if that really  _ was  _ Aadit’s?  _ That would make you an asshole, Arlo _ . He could feel himself slumping in the saddle, Xu was right, he should still be resting but he couldn’t, not now. He’d have to stop by the clinic to get the wound checked, maybe Phylis would be kind enough to restitch the wound if he needed it. At the town gates the horse steadied and began walking through. He felt himself sit upright as he passed the blade, still impaled in concrete.

It was three am when the horse and rider returned to the HQ and he was surprised to see a quiet Ayla sat in front of the pig statue.  
“Couldn’t sleep?” He sat beside her, crossing his arms over his legs in the same position. Wincing as he went down.  
“No, I-” She sighed. “Just, I was only in the clinic for two days, and then I get home and he was  _ gone  _ other than my photos it was like I lived with a ghost.” She fiddled with the wedding ring on her finger.   
“I stopped by the workshop, just to feed your animals.” He offered.  
“Thanks, poor Mercury must be so pent up - she was so excited to see me home.” She glanced to Arlo’s abdomen. “How’s your stomach?”   
“Sore. I’m not supposed to ride or do much of anything really.” He shrugged. “I had to go do something, you know me. I have some ideas of where to start, we’ll sort this, I promise.”   
“What is there to sort? He  _ divorced  _ me.” She sighed, leaning into Arlo’s shoulder, her thin working clothes not helping protect her against the cold. “What did I do?”   
“What makes it think it  _ was  _ you?”   
“Is this about that rumour?” She sighed. “Phylis mentioned it when I was still in the clinic, that he was -”   
“Do you think he would do that?”   
“He wouldn’t even playfight with me, he was such a pacifist…” She whimpered.  
“Come on, let’s get you inside.” He offered. “Ack can most likely fix us a hot chocolate or something.”  
“Yeah, that sounds ok.” She watched as he struggled to his feet and offered a hand to her.

\------------------------------------------------------

“Hey you ready to go?” Sam asked. “We don’t have to head back to the house just yet. How about we head to Granny Sophie’s?”   
“Just so you can stare at Emily and call her cute all day?” Ayla smiled.  
“Ssssh they don’t need to know that” she tipped her head to Arlo who smiled.   
“We both already know, sorry to burst your bubble and all.” Remington chuckled.  
“I hate you both!” Sam yelled out the door as she led Ayla by the hand.

“What’s the plan?” Remington offered.  
“Ride around town, see if you can get any witness reports, I’m going to ask Nora and Lee about the stamp on the certificate and head to the tree farm.”   
“You gonna be alright?”   
“I’ll get the clinic to look at it again tonight.” Arlo offered as he tried to sit comfortably on Spacer.

“Nora!”  
“Arlo! You’re out of the clinic!” She declared, wrapping him in a hug that made him squirm. “Oh sorry, you must still be healing, it was very brave stepping in front of the attack like that.” She offered.  
“I need a favour, if we could speak somewhere privately.”   
“Oh of course, follow me.” He followed her between the church pews, a familiar uncomfortableness creeping up his spine as he passed between them. “Are you ok?”   
“Ah it’s the usual.” He offered. She knew about his awkwardness around the church.  
“So I’m sure the rumours have already been spreading around the town that Aadit has gone.” He began.  
“I heard that but...is it true?” He nodded grimly. “Poor Ayla…”  


“I need you to look at this, but it stays between us ok?” He unfolded the document and passed it to her.  
“Oh gosh, how awful.” She whimpered as she read the document. “How can I help you though?”   
“Is that Lee’s stamp?” He urged.  
“No, in fact, Gale stamps all certificates in Portia - Free Alliance cities with populations below 200 can have a government employee stamp rather than a church one. This is definitely a church stamp though.” She adjusted the stamp to shine under the lamp. “Whoever stamped it did so in a hurry, I can’t make out the lettering for the jurisdiction, although it looks like it could be Lucien."

“Lucien can be reached using the bus from here to the next town, then via commercial liner in around 5 hours.” She offered. “It was how I arrived here, Lucien was my last placement before Portia.”   
“Do you remember where the nearest church was to the port?”   
“Um-hm, in the centre of the city, if I recall, Lucien is so big that they have a clerk who stamps all birth, death and marriage certificates at the front desk, you can get it marked into record officially at the Free Alliance Registrar right next door - copies of certificates are then mailed direct to all named parties.”   


“So assuming that he would most definitely be across the sea by now.” Arlo sighed. “Damn it! - Oh, sorry.” He rubbed the back of his neck.  
“Remember Lucien has plenty of advanced technology we don’t have here in Portia, people move far faster on that side of the vast sea.”   
“You’re right. Thanks Nora.”  
“Please tell Ayla that I’ll be here to support her, no matter what.” She offered.

“Ah, Captain Arlo, what are you doing here?” Arlo could have rolled his eyes, Lee wasn’t a bad guy but he gave Arlo the same impression as Higgins - an air of arrogance. “Finally joining the Light I see?”   
“Not really, no. Corps business.” Arlo bowed as low as he could. “Thank you for your assistance Nora.”   


The tree farm proved a little more fruitful, Dawa did not hesitate to allow Arlo into Aadit’s old cabin.  
“He didn’t have much.” Dawa explained. “He took most of it to Ayla’s.” Arlo knelt down in the doorframe, he hadn’t expected to see anything - yet there were footsteps in the dust. Too large to be Dawa’s, with someone with bigger shoes than even Arlo’s, he followed the trail to the bed then across to an old wooden chest. He moved to the chest, using one of the blades hidden in his sleeve to break the lock. Inside was bare, except for a gap in the dust in the shape of something.

He’d spot the teddy as he was exiting the farm - the shape a perfect fit for the gap in the dust. He pushed the teddy into one of his pouches and rode off to meet Remington.

“Nothing.” Remington offered. “Nobody saw him leave, I asked the DeeDee drivers and the bus driver too - nothing.”  
“I did a little better than you did, the certificate was most likely stamped in Lucien, I can reach out to some contacts there, but the chance he’s stuck around are pretty slim.”   
“I see, I’ll do your patrol. Get yourself to the clinic, I can see the blood staining your shirt underneath your jacket.”   
“Shit.” He cursed. 

“Thanks.” He mumbled weakly as the wound was un-wrapped.  
“I knew it was too much to hope you’d sit still.” Phylis chuckled. “I think re-stitching the wound and a round of acupuncture should help.”

He hissed as she patted the wound clean, it looked a little less  _ purple  _ than it had at least. He’d never seen an injury like it, and he’d been bitten by a Jump Dancer and had his arm turn blue before.

“How is little Ayla?” She asked as she flicked a needle into his back.  
“News travels fast here, huh?”   
“Indeed.”   
“A mess.” Arlo offered. “I feel like I’m partly responsible.”   
“Why?”   
“I encouraged her to pursue him, I -” he flinched as she caught a sensitive spot. “-gave her away at the altar.” 

“Is she mad at you?”  
“No. I don’t think so.” Arlo sighed as the pins were pulled free, his muscles relaxed with each one.  
“I think she needs a strong person to help her through this.”  
“Why would you think that would be me?”   
“Why wouldn’t it be? Strong, dependable Arlo, a moral compass unwavered - you seem like the perfect support for her right now.”  
“Thanks.” He stretched his shoulders with a grimace as it pulled on his fresh stitches.

-x-x-

The letters to his colleagues in Lucien proved fruitless, it had been three weeks and he had received multiple letters confirming nobody matching Aadit’s description could be found.

“Ayla?” He knocked on the door softly, nobody had seen much of her throughout the town and he’d tried to quell any rumours about her and Aadit when he heard them. “Are you home?”   
“Come in.” She sounded exhausted. He let himself in to see the blonde, her hair a messy tangle of knots cradling the teddy he’d given to her the evening after he found it.

“Hey.” He placed the bag of food and gifts from well-wishers on the coffee table.  
“Anything?” She whispered.  
“No.” He sat down on the sofa beside her, not objecting to when she leaned against him, wrapping her arm over his healing wound and whimpering. “Hey, it’s ok. You’re gonna get through this. You’ve got me, Sam, Nora, Remmy - everyone! Granny Sophie even insisted I bought you an apple pie.”

“I don’t know what I’d do without you guys.” She whispered.  
“We’re here for you when you need us.”   
“I’m a mess.” She sighed, aware of how matted her hair was and how sloppily she was dressed. “I should...go get dressed.”   
“If you want, how about I plate up some food for you?”  
  
They ate in a comfortable silence before Ayla began fidgeting again.  
“Something wrong?”   
“My hair…”   
“What about it?”  
“I want to go back into small commissions, but I can’t go out like this.” She whispered.  
“Well, can I help?”   
“If I get my brush, can you help?”   
  


So he set to work brushing out the knots in her hair as she sat on a pillow in front of him.  
“...hurts.” She mumbled.  
“Sorry, I’ve never really done this, you know?” He apologised, using his fingers and the brush to try and ease some of the knots. “How have you been feeling?”   
“Pretty lousy. Every time I went into town it felt like people were staring at me. I feel...well, I felt like a failure.”  
“Felt?”   
“I don’t feel that way right now, I think that might just be you though.”   
“Hm?” He stopped at that comment. “How so?”   
“You don’t ask me awkward questions or talk about me behind my back. You make me feel appreciated. It feels strange, to be honest.”   
“I like to listen, it’s good for the job, you know?” He smiled softly, working the brush through the next section of her hair.

“Plus, people keep telling me it’ll get better, but...he abandoned me, I’m sure it will get better - dad abandoned me when I was a kid and I got over that but, it’s like my sadness can’t exist.”  
“Feel how you feel Ayla, don’t let other people dictate to you the feelings you  _ should  _ have, you aren’t them.”  
“Arlo?”   
“Hm?”   
“Would you help me with something?” She asked curiously.

“What is it?”   
“I want to take the photos down, and get rid of the damned bear.” She rose so suddenly Arlo hadn’t expected it and she was already across the room. “Please?”   
“Are you sure?”   
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m sure.” 

Burning the photos seemed to insight something relaxed in Ayla, Arlo noticed. She surrendered the bear to him, asked him to hide it. He left the workshop, circling around the house he stuffed the bear into a gap at the back of the house - she’d spend too much energy getting to the bear he hoped. 

On the way back round to the front, he noticed that Marshall and Mallow, her two cotton llamas were tied securely in the stable - he'd never even noticed the pair of trouble causers had gone.


	3. Chapter 3

He would accompany her to the commerce guild the following day, escorting her without word as she took the smallest commission on there - some bookshelves for Isaac - where did that man even sleep amongst all his books?  
"I want to get some fruit tarts, and I need some cotton from Carol." He was about to object that the sword was there but thought better of it.

Until of course, she had laid eyes on it. She stopped with a halt that jerked him into position that made him hurt.  
"Ayla?"   
"It's still here."   
"It is." Arlo nodded. "Nobody has been able to move it. I spoke to that All Source machine, she claims that someone with 'knight potential' can lift it. Even Django hasn't."  
"Django is a knight."  
"Young one." Django called out. "What a pleasure to see you about I was wondering when we'd see you back in town. Ah…"  
"Have you tried?" Arlo shook his head. "Can I?" Arlo looked to Django who shrugged.

She was tentative as she reached for it, and yet despite all her strength, the sword would not budge.

"So the most powerful person in town couldn't lift it either, hm...Arlo would you give it a go?"

He thought back to the times as a kid that his mother had left him in Django's care to train. He was only a teenage boy back then. He thought the tales of Heroic Knights that Django told were fairy tales. But then he'd also thought giant talking rats and super computers were too. When he was younger, he did master swordsmanship. But that was before his martial arts had taken priority.

"He would make a pretty impressive knight." Ayla mused, having moved to join Django during Arlo's contemplation. "Try it." 

The pain as he touched the hilt was immeasurable. Like the day where he had received the injury. It was like that dark electric current was burning his veins. He could feel something in the back of his head commanding him to keep hold of the sword. Fight back Arlo! 

He pulled with all his strength, surprised to feel as the sword felt lighter, almost as if it was being pulled from butter instead of concrete. As he fell to his knees, the blade still in his hand felt weightless.  
"Ms Ayla, go and fetch the mayor at once." She nodded panicked.

"Enguarde Arlo." Django had run at him before he'd even blinked, the air electrified the same way it had been when he saw the Rogue Knight and Django fight. Despite his injury he had enough energy to spring to his feet, stamping down on the blade with his foot as he went to block the blow. 

Where the hit should have connected he felt air and when he opened his eyes it was if time was still for a moment. The blow had stopped an inch short of his crossed arms, a reddish energy discharging the strike.  
"Impressive. I have never seen someone able to take a sigil from a weapon." Django remarked.  
"A what?" He stumbled back as Django pulled out his sword, Arlo reached for the knight's blaede. Each move seemed to be slower than he expected and he was able to dodge as if he weren't injured.

"What on earth? You two stop this instant!" Gale yelled across. Arlo let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, using the blade as a prop as he leant forward.  
"Seems we found the one the All Source mentioned with knight potential." Django remarked.  
"Me?"  
"I mean, you are holding the sword." Ayla remarked beside him. Curious he held the blade out to her, who, despite all her strength could not lift it from where it clattered to the concrete.

By the evening, when he walked her back to the workshop he found her pausing at the gate.  
"Arlo?"  
"Hm?"  
"Be a better knight than he was."  
"You believe the rumours too?" He asked curiously.  
"No. Not really. But...knights are supposed to be kind and chivalrous, right? He wasn't."  
"Why do you know so much about knights?" He asked curiously. "I'm just an idiot with a sword, quite frankly."  
"Wait here." She commanded.

When she returned from inside the workshop she was carrying what he could only assume to be a compendium of some description.  
"It isn't mine. I doubt it was my father's either. I found it under the bed when I moved in." She explained. "It had all sorts of art in of things in the Peripheries the owner must have seen." He opened the pages to see art of unusual monsters.   
"Thanks?"  
"I'm going to go lay down now. Good night Arlo."  
"Good night Ayla."

Knights are just Fairy Tales - he remembered his father yelling it at him a lot as a kid. But then, he'd seen not one, but two knights, both of which had nearly inhuman skill. He kept flipping the pages of his book until he saw a diagram inked in a similar colour to the energy the blade emitted, that his skin had turned on his abdomen when struck.

"A time Sigil. These are unusual markings indeed. Bearers of a sigil using a channelling weapon are able to view time differently. They are able to strike at a faster rate or dodge even supposedly unmissable strikes by manipulating just a couple of seconds. Bearers of this sigil are rare, most of which hale from the colder climes of the West." Arlo read aloud. "The only weapon known to channel a time Sigil, the Rapier of the Larks, was found at the dawn of the age of light and is believed to be as heavy as a large chunk of concrete unless a Time Sigil bearing owner lifts it. After which, it is referred to as 'being as light as the bones of a songbird' hence its name."

He bound the blade in scarves which he wound around the belts on his torso and snatched the book up. Stalking across town to Django.  
"Ah, I expected you. Please follow me."

He followed Django away from the bar, watching as Sonia took charge and up the stairs to his personal home. There he listened to Django and showed him the book.

"I'm not supposed to be a knight. I'm supposed to be Arlo, Captain of the Portian Civil Corps or Arlo the Flying Pig."  
"You can be both. Knights are supremely skilled because of the sigils we bear or military expertise. Perhaps you were born with the innate blood and by a series of coincidences you found yourself in possession of the Rapier of Larks mentioned in the book." Django offered. "That sword is in safe hands with you. I am happy to give you training on how to temper and exploit the sigil. It can keep you safe. It can keep the people of Portia safe. It can keep Ayla safe."  
"I-"  
"If the Rogue Knight was Aadit. Then it might do her some good to know someone she trusts is using that same power for good."  
"Let me think about it." Arlo sighed.  
"Take the book back with you. It might be a good read." Django offered. "And Arlo, be a good man. A good Captain and a good friend to that girl."

\---------------------------------------------------------------

It had been nearly nine weeks since Aadit left and life became more normal for Ayla, she filled her time with work and friends and each weekend would have the Corps to keep her company, or Arlo on his own on the rare occasion where Sam and Remington insisted he took time off. It was late on a Friday afternoon when Arlo was finishing a patrol by the workshop that he noticed something was wrong.

Ayla was leaning against her workbench, breathing heavily. Which wasn’t like the usually high energy builder.  
“Ayla?” Arlo scrambled off Spacer’s saddle and hopped the fence between the grinder and cutter. “Ayla?” He reached out to touch her back and she groaned.  
“Arlo, I don’t feel well.”   
“Do you want me to get you inside, or to the clinic?” He asked, trying to disguise his panic.  
“Help me inside, get the doctor...please?” She pleaded.

He’d never seen her this sluggish or sickly as he helped to move her across her yard and into the house.  
“Stay right here, I’ll be back as soon as I can, I promise.” He reassured her as he covered her in his jacket - she didn’t seem to be bleeding or injured nor did she have the signs of poisoning that he’d ever seen.

At Dr Xu’s instruction, he carefully moved Ayla up the stairs, stepping into the only area of the house he’d never been - her bedroom - he felt uncomfortable as he placed her on the bed, especially as his eyes caught sight of something glittering on her bedside cabinet - the wedding ring he’d noticed she’d stopped wearing.  
“I’ll wait downstairs.” He ducked out, leaving the doctor with the girl. Being in the room made his skin crawl - that was her personal sanctum, her marital bed and he'd spotted that Light-damned teddy he thought he'd hidden from her at her request on the bed.

Why was he so angry? It wasn't like she owed him anything. He sighed, taking a seat with the dog on one of the sofas, flipping through a blueprint for a Paddleboat.

"Arlo?" The captain smiled and stood at the presence of the doctor. "She wants you to sit with her." Arlo nodded. The doctor had pulled the stool that had been at her dresser across the room and was sat writing something in a journal on his lap. 

"How are you feeling?" Arlo smiled as he leaned on the wall, eyeing wearily the spot beside her on the bed she was tapping.  
"Sit with her." Xu smiled. "She needs comfort right now, I think." If she had been literally anyone else on earth, he'd have turned tail and refused yet he found himself sat beside her, propped against the tucked in pillows, her hand resting weakly on his thigh.  
“Thanks.” She mumbled weakly.  
“Are you sure you’re ok with me saying what I’m going to say in front of him?”  
“Yeah, I can’t keep something like this all secret, I need someone on my side.” She let out a weak sigh.

“Ayla here has something called Hyperemesis Gravidarium.”  
“Hyper...what?” Arlo asked.  
“A severe form of morning sickness, in layman’s terms.”   
“She’s pregnant?” Arlo asked quietly, trying not to let his voice break.  
“It’s hard to know how far along, although she’s around ten to twelve weeks, if I base it on the last time anyone saw...” Xu coughed. “If you hadn’t have taken that slash to your stomach, well…”

“It’s entirely possible these symptoms won’t go away, she’s been sick every day for a few weeks now.”  
“More than once.” She whimpered.  
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Arlo questioned.  
“I was always busy. I just thought it was the stress of everything.” She sighed.  
“She’s going to be prone to severe dehydration, she’s to have her license for the ruins revoked straight away.”  
“What?” Both the people on the bed looked to the doctor.  
“Ayla, you can’t be ruin exploring and dehydrating, you could get seriously hurt in there.”  
“Look, whatever materials you need, we can gather for you.” Arlo tried to reason. “We can waive the fee if it’s only the odd piece or two.”

“You’ll have to come to the clinic for daily intravenous drips, here’s to hoping you listen more than this one.” Arlo smirked. “Do you have any questions?”  
“Too many.” She murmured.  
“Well, you’re much too unwell to be getting to the clinic today, I’ll have to collect some materials and bring them down. Arlo, stay here. I need to check your wound too.” 

The silence was heavy and he didn’t stop her when she rolled into his side and sobbed.  
“Hey, come on, we can’t have you losing anymore fluids.” He petted her head gently.  
“Why Arlo?” She whispered.  
“Why what?”  
“He tried to kill me and his child, what kind of man would do that!”  
“The knight tried to kill you and he didn’t, he tried to decorate the pavement with my organs instead. He couldn’t have known you were pregnant.” He winced as he felt her hand grace over the wound. 

“We were planning kids you know.”  
“Hm? Well I thought that was what most married couples did.”  
“Think this is the Lord’s way to punish me for never going to church.” Her voice dripped with cynicism.  
“I’ve never been either.” He smiled at her. “Look, you have a lot to think about, take a breath and we can take this one step at a time.”  
“You’ll back me up no matter what?”  
“I promise.” He snatched up the bear from beside the bed, holding the limp stuffed animal. “I thought you got rid of this.”  
“I got lonely.” She whispered. “Besides, you didn’t hide it very well.”  
“Fair.” He shrugged. “When was the last time you ate?”  
“A full meal?” She sighed. “A week or two ago?”  
“I noticed you were looking rather weak, I just figured you were tired.”

“Ok, so this should be enough vitamins and anti sickness treatment to at least get you back on your feet.” Xu offered, pushing the needle into her hand. “Arlo, before you go trying to sneak down those stairs, I still want to take a look at your stomach.”  
“I’m fine.”  
“You were half a centimetre from your intestines decorating the pavement, take your shirt off.” He glanced across to Ayla who smiled bashfully.  
“Here?”  
“I can’t leave Ayla alone. Do you mind my dear?”  
“No, no go ahead.” She had Arlo’s familiar smirk over her face as she adjusted her pillow to sit straight. He took a deep breath before relenting.

Despite powerful physique and confident approach to work, he was a surprisingly shy man and he found himself turning his back to Ayla as he pulled the white undershirt free. He took several deep breaths before turning towards the doctor. He tried to ignore the curious eyes watching him from the bed and how they widened upon seeing the angry purple wound curving from above his left hip to half way down the right, stitches still sealing the worst of the wound across his abdomen.   
“Hm...you’ve been stretching again haven’t you?” Arlo grimaced. “I told you light duties.”  
“I was doing light duties, carrying my friend up the stairs wasn’t expected.”   
“Arlo, I saw you carrying crates of supplies up the hill.” Ayla protested, earning a look of indignation from the captain.  
"Honestly…" the doctor knelt level with the wound. "The colour still hasn't changed, even on the edges where the wound has mostly closed. Can you still feel that pulsing sensation you mentioned?"  
"Sometimes, it still feels like an electric shock when I clean it too." He offered.  
"Phyllis should give you another round of acupuncture." Xu concluded. "Come by tomorrow evening"  
"Sure."

By the time he went to put his undershirt back on, he was surprised to feel it was not amongst the clothes on the corner of the bed, instead it was clutched in Ayla's hand as Xu worked the needle free. He shook his head as he pulled his overshirt over his head, leaving his jacket hanging open.  
"Doc...is there any chance I can cope enough to travel to Barnarock for a while?"  
"I wouldn't recommend it." Xu smiled. "It would be doable but if you aren't eating right and are puking as often as you say you are I would only recommend travelling if you absoloutely have to, and you'd need an escort as much as possible to be safe."  
"I think I need to go and visit Aunt Kendra for a little while. She can help me think things out."  
"The easiest way would be to take the liner to Barnarock rather than have Wuwa sail you direct from here." Arlo offered. “The liner is more steady and has plenty of staff aboard to assist you. I can take you to Huaboat - my mother has been wanting me to visit for a while.”  
“It would take a while longer, but I would recommend travelling on horseback to Huaboat - the fresh air would be beneficial - although I wouldn’t trust you riding all that way without assistance.”  
“Mercury is a draft horse, right? She can support two people?” Ayla smiled weakly.

The doctor politely excused himself once a plan had been agreed to get her fit enough to make the journey back to Barnarock.  
“My shirt?” He offered.   
“Well, you have another one on, and its comfortable!” She protested. “Arlo?”  
“Hm?”  
“Take the bear with you when you leave.” She offered weakly. “Please.”  
“Of course.” He knelt down beside her on the bed. “How do you feel?”  
“Less nauseous, although the thought of food isn’t a pleasant one.”  
“Want to head back downstairs? You’re closer to the bathroom then, right?” 

She would only manage three apple slices before she’d disappear to the bathroom to be sick. He did the only thing he could think of doing back when he and his friends got themselves sick of moonshine or cider when he’d been younger, he gathered water and bread and made sure she drank slowly and picked at the food and tried to eat small pieces.  
“I thought your mother lived in Portia - you grew up here, right?” She started.  
“She did, and you’re correct, I grew up here, my mother ran a smallholding near the Eastern tunnel, back before it was built. When I left home to train in the Civil Corp, I didn’t return for four years - she moved to Huaboat to be by the sea, although you can tell she was a farmer still - if only because she still brews moonshine.” He smiled.

“Would you guys be willing to take care of Scraps?”  
“Of course, why?”  
“Emily can come and care of Pinky, the llamas and Mercury, and keep an eye on the workshop - but she’s allergic to dogs.” Well, he did have a soft spot for the pup.

He'd sat with her as she penned a letter to her aunt, asking to collect her from the port by seven pm two weeks from the day, desperately hoping she would be well enough to travel.

Daily IVs and lectures from Xu had gotten quite enjoyable by the time she had been issued with enough vitamins and anti-sickness pills to make the trip for two weeks before she'd need more.  
"You will need to keep hydrated and keep taking the medication, at least three times a day. If you need access to more medication, you would be best pressed to consult a clinician before you run out.”


	4. Chapter 4

Mercury was a retired draft horse because she had grown to be too small to pull the wagons Mcdonald had used. At 17 hands, she stood shoulder to shoulder with Spacer, but the difference in build was obvious when he tied the lithe stallion beside her.  
"Hey lovely lady, hope you don't mind giving me and Ayla a lift today?" The horse whinnied. "When was the last time you even got out for a good walk huh?"

He'd already collected up Scraps and rode back to Corps HQ with the wriggling pup after checking Ayla was well enough to pack her own backpack. Emily was leaning against the fence in the yard, fussing over Spacer and Pinky.  
"Did she say how long she was going for?"  
"No, I figured it'd be best to get her over the first leg of the journey a day early, she can always rest over in Hauboat then." Arlo worked on saddling the horse, clipping the extra water bladders the doctor had insisted on in case Ayla got sick to the back. Mercury let out a huff but otherwise settled.  
"Sorry girl." He offered soothingly as he lead her to the gate.

"You ok?" Ayla nodded, she still looked sickly but didn't look to have lost more weight and wasn't just grey. "Good, hop on up."  
"Shouldn't I sit on the back? I mean? You're guiding us there, right?"  
"I'm not having you fall off though since you’re still unwell, so go on." She let out a sigh before relenting, climbing up into the saddle, passing her backpack to Arlo who pulled his arms into it.  
"Everyone will be well looked after whilst you're gone." Emily assured.  
"Thanks Emily."

She felt strangely soothed at the motions of Mercury's slow meander to the tunnel to the west of the town. She'd also realised that in the three years since she came to Portia she'd never explored beyond the tunnels. She wasn't sure if Arlo was just demonstrating that he was a very skilled rider or just shy with how he didn't hold the horse's reins, instead using his feet to guide her with the occasional pat on her rump if she started to turn in the wrong direction.

At the edge of town, they found themselves joined by Sam and Remington on Arlo's usual patrol route.  
"Say hello to your mom for me!" Sam yelled at Arlo.  
"I will." He sighed.  
"Safe travels to you Ayla, I hope you find some time to enjoy yourself back in Barnarock" Remington smiled.   
"Thanks"

As soon as the pair had disappeared into the tunnel Sam turned to Remington.  
"Think he's going to introduce her to Momma Morgan?" Sam chuckled. "She'll be in for a shock if he does."  
"Oh of course, Arlo hasn’t ever told anyone that he’s-"  
"Wonder if he mentioned the other kids too?" She laughed. "I wonder if anyone in town besides us knows about Arlo's parents and him actually, the smallholding was pretty remote"  
"Even those that do know probably just didn't care." Remington smiled, giving Arrow's reigns a tug. "We better get started huh."

"Arlo." She perked up. "Is there any reason you're not holding onto the reigns or the saddle?"  
"I don't want to - around your middle I mean-"  
"So it's ok that me bouncing in front of you is making you flinch every time I catch you in the abdomen but you're treating me like I'm made of glass?"  
"I don't want to hurt you or the baby, you know?"  
"Dr Xu is right when he says you're too gentlemanly for your own good. I'm not glass Arlo. Right now the thing inside me is barely a shape, I've not got a bump yet. Besides wouldn't it help if I feel sick again to not have me slide right off?" 

In truth, the warmth of another human, even one who hesitantly rested their arm over her hip with the lightest grip on Mercury's reigns was more welcome than she'd ever realised. It was what she had missed above all else - she couldn't rationalise away what happened when she lay alone at night. She found herself hunkering into his warmth as the cold air from the first snow bit at her, despite the thick winter gear she wore.  
"You ok there?" He mused quietly as she tucked herself into him so tight that he had no choice but to rest his head on her shoulder, his arm coming to rest over her abdomen.  
"You're warm. It feels good."  
"You should have worn a hat." He scolded.

As they cleared the tunnel and broke out into the fields beyond he nudged Mercury to trot a little faster.  
"Have you told anyone else about you being pregnant?" She sighed.  
"No. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to hide it, especially now the sickness is easing up a bit and I'm gaining weight" she felt herself wrapping her arms over his, as if by instinct he flattened his palm, resting it gently over her. "People, most people at least have finally stopped looking at me like I'm a living tragedy. That took nearly 3 months. It's only going to start again when they find out I'm carrying his baby. I guess at least one person in town can be happy about getting his builders crown back"  
"I thought you and Higgins had some kind of truce, now?"  
"We have a truce in the same way you have a promise to Alice and Carol not to let the boys into the Wasteland."  
"Hey! I've never let them get hurt." He protested.  
"I know we've not really gone far, I can see some of the taller ruins over in the distance, but mind if we stop for a bit."

He helped her down off Mercury before joining her on the edge of the path, settling the Rapier beside them.  
"Have you took up Django's training?"  
"No." Arlo shook his head. "I don't know if knighthood is a path I should go down. The fiasco after I pulled the sword free was as exhilarating as it was terrifying."  
"Have you asked Miss Mali?"  
"No."  
"She seems to have your best interests at heart. Maybe you should ask her opinion"

Huaboat was only four hours away on horseback, yet it felt like days for Ayla whose traitorous stomach churned every time she got relaxed into the comforting warmth of Arlo. It made something inside her stir and she tried her best to squash it down - the doc had warned her that her body would do some strange things during pregnancy. She slumped forward in the saddle as they reached the gates of the port town - Arlo eased Mercury to a slow walk so they could pass through the crowds easier. His arms gently wrapped around Ayla to keep her upright as much as possible.  
“My mother should still be at work, and it looks like quite the queue to get into the port.” He sighed softly. “Let’s get you rested and rehydrated, yeah?”  
“Sounds good.” She whispered. 

Huaboat was busier than Portia and clearly the quiet township had made a mark on her more than expected - she found herself huddled against Arlo as crowds passed by, deviating towards the market or the boats. He kept his eyes trained forward as he eased Mercury through the crowds, across the town towards a residential area, at the back was a house on land almost as large as Ayla’s, she let out gasp as he slid from behind her, grabbing the horse and guiding her through the gate.  
“Your mother lives here?”  
“She does.”  
“Alone?” Ayla asked surprised.  
“Well, no. Not exactly, I guess I haven’t told you much about my childhood right? Let’s get to the port and get your ticket sorted and then we’ll go find her.”

He hitched the mare to a fencepost at the back of the property and found a bucket to give her some water, leaving Ayla against the front gate, drinking her vitamin water. She hadn’t vomited at any point in the journey, but the nausea still did not pass. She felt overwhelmed as she realised the house was larger than even her own, the woman didn’t live here all by herself did she? She couldn’t. It was lonely enough in Ayla’s house.

“Ayla?” He was at the gate, holding out his hand, acutely aware of the ice on the paths. “Let’s get back to the main paths and get your ticket to Barnarock.” A few people they passed recognised Arlo, remarking they hadn’t seen him in a while as they did.  
“Do you visit your mother often?”  
“I try to, with the wound still healing on my stomach, it wasn’t like I could ride down here, I’d say it’s been around four months since my last visit.”  
“How long will it be before you heal up fully?”  
“Hard to tell, it's been healing gradually since I took the sword at least, all I know is I came dangerously close to death that day.” He felt her grip his arm tighter. “I’m ok though, can get back to doing my usual duties now.”  
“It’s still hard to think that if you hadn’t…” She ran her hand down her abdomen. “I…”  
“I told you Ayla, it’s fine. I’m glad I did.” He grinned at her. “Pregnant or not, no Captain would let a citizen of his town get hurt, especially his own friend.”  
“Thanks.” She found herself clinging to his warmth, something grounding in the madness that her life had become.

“I need to get to Barnarock port for seven pm tomorrow.” She offered. “I’m also looking for a cabin space, I um...I’m pregnant so I need a private space to rest.”  
“You got it Miss, there’s a space on the liner that leaves 11am tomorrow, I can book you into a cabin on the deck too.” She thanked the clerk for his time before returning to Arlo, who had been chatting with a corp officer monitoring the flow of people in the port.  
“Sure thing Arlo, oh, I didn’t know you were dating now!”  
“Hm? Oh no, no, this is Ayla, she’s a friend of mine, I’m her escort from Portia until she goes home to see her Aunt.”  
“Oh! Oh gods I’m sorry.” The officer mumbled shyly. “Say, when you see your mom, tell her to put that delicious squash soup back on the menu!”  
“Yeah, yeah, see you around.” Arlo half waved as he helped Ayla back to solid land.

She had followed him quietly back towards the market, stopping short of the stall at the back where he stopped dead, a stupid grin all over his face.  
“Mum?” The woman had just finished serving a portion of what looked to be soup to a customer before dropping the ladle and running to Arlo.

The woman was smallish with olive skin and dark hair slicked back into a ponytail.  
“Arlo! You’re feeling better? Why didn’t you tell me you were visiting.”  
“Ow, ow, don’t squash me - my stomach’s still healing. It was a bit impromptu, some events have happened back home, I’ve bought Ayla so she can go back to Barnarock to visit her aunt tomorrow.” They didn’t speak with the same accent either and facing the woman - she didn’t have any features that Arlo had.  
“You’re Ayla? Well aren’t you an adorable little thing.” She was so homely and adorable and Ayla just wanted to hug the woman.  
“You seem surprised.” Arlo smirked.  
“You and your mom don’t look alike, at all.”  
“Oh well - Arlo, she doesn’t know...does she?”  
“It’s never come up.” Arlo smiled. “What’s the soup?”  
“Curried parsnips today dear.” She smiled. “Help yourself, you too Missy.” Arlo was already ladelling soup into a bowl when he noticed Ayla still staring, confused.  
“I’ll explain later.” He assured. “Soup? Our evening is going to be a lot more manic.”  
“Sure.” 

His mother buzzed around him busily, cooing over his stories of what happened in the town as she continued to serve customers from the little stall.  
“Is there room for us tonight?”  
"Always"  
“Ah, brilliant!” He finished his own meal. “So I guess I owe you an explanation, huh Ayla?”  
“Well, yes I think?”

“So my mum here, she’s not my mum - well, she is the one who raised me but - ah, I don’t know who my real parents are. Dad, as in the deadbeat one who was married to mum here, found me on his adventures.” Arlo offered. “He was a Flying Pig, mum said he found me abandoned on one of his adventures. Bought me to mum who raised me.”  
“Wow, I never would have thought.”  
“Imagine not only having one deadbeat parent but three.” He mumbled. “Oh, sorry, that was a bit insensitive of me.”  
“It’s fine.” she whispered softly.

“Mrs Morgan, your house is rather large - is it a guest house?”  
“It is dear, although only one or two rooms, it helps boost my income when I’m not cooking or brewing up drinks for folk.”  
“What about the other rooms?”  
“Well that’s where my other kids stay.”  
“Other kids? Arlo you have siblings?”  
“Not exactly, most of the kids are fosters, mum takes care of em for a season or two whilst their parents and families have to sort some things out - sometimes heavy stuff like addictions or arrests and such, other times it’s just cause one of the parents might be sick or something.”  
“I have two long term adopted children, just like Arlo was.”  
“Megan and Zack.” Arlo smiled. “I got a letter from them recently, asking me about my ‘battlescar’”   
“They miss you.” She chuckled softly. “The winter guest and his daughter are taking up one room, I still have a space free but you'd have to sleep on the floor or a sofa Arlo."  
"Not a problem."

She watched Arlo play with the two twins so effortlessly, breaking up their jostling to get affection from him first and showing them the wound on his abdomen like they asked.  
“Hey Arlo! Your girlfriend is really pretty.”  
“Thank you, but I’m not your brother - um, Arlo’s girlfriend.”  
“Oh no, it’s ok, we call him big brother!” Both the kids looked more like Ayla - blonde hair and blue eyes, the girl a sparkling princess and the boy a copy of what she imagined Arlo would have been like as a kid.  
“Ma, can we go for a snowball fight with Arlo?” The boy asked, wide eyed.  
“Tell you what, we can go play so mum can finish cooking, deal?”  
“Yeah!” He ferried the two out the door.   
“Ayla?”  
“No, no thank you.”

“Hm...I was going to make fish for dinner but something tells me that won’t do.” The woman was so soft spoken it took Ayla by surprise. “I noticed you were looking rather queasy, with how much he’s been fussing over you...are you with child?”  
“How did you-?”  
“It made sense, Arlo arriving here unannounced it was obviously something of an impromptu plan and...he mentioned to me what happened to your husband in a letter he sent to me.” She sighed, stopping dicing her vegetables. “Did he tell you he has-had a sister?” Ayla glanced out the window to see Arlo wrestling in the snow with the two kids.

“No, I didn’t even know you weren’t his biological mother.”  
“I had a biological child when Arlo was around eight or so? She’d be about your age now, pregnancy was hard - I’d spent years being told I couldn’t have children. I spent most of my pregnancy suffering with severe sickness, I birthed such a beautiful and frail young thing. I named her Sasha. Arlo adored her, it was a shame when she passed - she had always been frail and illness took her without warning.”  
“I’m so sorry.” Ayla sighed. “So that must mean Arlo’s father was around a little, right?”  
“He would return home occassionally, perhaps for only a week or two. When Arlo was twelve, after Sasha passed, he never returned again.”  
“Arlo’s so good with kids.” She smiled weakly as the trio had stopped wrestling to build snowmen instead.  
“He doted on the other kids in the surrounding smallholdings, back then Remington and Sam both lived nearby as well, it was hardly a surprise they’re still good friends to this day.”

“It isn’t easy raising a child alone. I just hope you don’t do it alone for their whole life like I did after his father left.” She grinned. “Tell me, would tomato noodles do well for you?”  
“Oh that would be fine thank you.” She picked up a knife nearby and started dicing the vegetables still on the counter. “I think it’s nice to know there’s something hopeful with everything that’s happened but...it’s scary. I don’t really understand my body anymore, you know?”  
“Is that why you’re returning to your family?”  
“I guess. I mean...I haven't sorted out my feelings about Aadit. Or anything else that happened in Portia before he left. Then this one comes along and makes everything harder to cope with." She ran her hand over where she was convinced a small bump was beginning to form. "Arlo is probably the only one who's never looked at me like I'm a sad sack. Maybe the other Corps officers but - he's the only one who's made me feel appreciated as a person. He defended me when commissioners got upset I couldn't finish a project, not even knowing it was because of this sickness."

"As a woman who's been through at least some of what you have been. Trust your instincts. Sure, your body is going to be all kinds of strange and hormones everywhere will make you second guess your thoughts and feelings - but you can get through it. Small steps."  
"My aunt is a nurse...I think she can help me a lot. Give me options and support."

The noodles were the first meal she'd eaten fully in nearly three weeks and she ate greedily. It had sat well for a few hours before she wanted to throw up - that was better at least.


End file.
